By Christian ABURIME
In a high-stakes move to break the over five-year stranglehold of the Monday "sit-at-home" order, Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, took to the streets of main market, Onitsha on Monday to personally lead a return to commercial normalcy.
The Governor’s visit to the historic Onitsha Main Market served as a symbolic and practical declaration that the state is open for business, signaling an end to the civil disobedience that has crippled the South-East economy since 2021.
Ditching the confines of the Government House, Governor Soludo took a walk through the economic heartbeat, regarded as high-traffic trading zones, including: Ose Market, Bright Street, Lagos Line, Emeka Offor Plaza, among others.
Accompanied by key officials, the Governor didn't just observe; he engaged. He was seen conversing with traders and purchasing local goods—ranging from fabrics to food items—to demonstrate that the fear factor used to enforce the shutdown has faded and died
The Monday sit-at-home was originally initiated by separatist groups in 2021. While the groups have since issued various cancellations, "ghost-town" Mondays persisted due to fear of enforcement by rogue elements.
"Ndi Anambra are taking back their day, their economy, and their future," Governor Soludo told a gathering of traders. "Today marks an end to the sit-at-home."
While the Governor’s presence provided a morale boost, the state government is also fully alert to its responsibilities to keep the main market safe.
The Governor’s "shop-floor diplomacy" is a critical turning point for the South-East’s regional economy, which has suffered billions in losses over the last half-decade.